Question: My son is not doing at all well. I am simply at a loss how to help him.

Sri Chinmoy: Outwardly you can do a few things. You could invite some boys of his age in whom you have confidence to come and inspire him. These good boys are trying in every way to become decent citizens of the world. They will always try to lead a life of inspiration and even unconscious aspiration. So their company will help your son.

The next thing is that you have to act like a thief. At night, when your child is fast asleep, for five or ten minutes just go and stand near him and try to feel your own heart, not your mind. Your heart will have a conversation with his heart. Your heart is all affection, all love, all compassion for your son. Like this, your heart’s affection, fondness, love and so many other good qualities will enter into your son. In the same way, your son has affection, love and fondness for you. Your heart will offer its good qualities and your son’s heart will offer its own good qualities. Sooner or later, you are bound to see that these good qualities are being manifested in his outer life. And he will never know that secretly, when he was fast asleep, you came and injected so many divine qualities into his heart. Let him think that he is making the change by himself. It can come as a surprise to you. It does not matter who has inspired him to change his nature. The important thing is that your son is getting better.

So this change will take place from your meditation with his heart at night. When he is sleeping, he is not arrogant, he is not undivine. At that time, his mind is asleep. When one is asleep, one listens to others.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Sri Chinmoy answers, part 34, Agni Press, 2004
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/sca_34